Cool use of GPS and Google Earth

[Jackdaw]

Here is a cool use of your GPS tracklog and Google earth. Google Earth can input GPS tracklogs (or KML) data directly, and plot it over imagery of where the tracks were laid. It makes a breadcrumb trail of your travels. Our recent trip to Greece: Athens to Santorini.

What is neat is that you can zoom, pan and rotate in. Like here, where you can see the fjord-like entry to Kios.

Into the caldera of Santorini.

Its very detailed, you can actually see how you moor at docks!

 

[25yearslater]

That's Rather interesting Jackdaw. Just curious about the figure eight in the harbor. Hope you're having a great time since it's still frigid on the lakes.

 

[Jackdaw]

That's Rather interesting Jackdaw. Just curious about the figure eight in the harbor. Hope you're having a great time since it's still frigid on the lakes.

We came in and were looking for the best place to med moor the boat. The winds were expected (and were) 35+ knots the next day, so I wanted a good spot.

Made for a nice day to explore the island! ;^)

 

[lehighsail]

I got a Raymarine GPS and a computer and basic Geek knowledge. Could you post exactly how you made these images? Thanks.

 

[Jackdaw]

I got a Raymarine GPS and a computer and basic Geek knowledge. Could you post exactly how you made these images? Thanks.

Once your get the track file into KML the google earth part is simple. The trick is getting into that format!

In engineering terms, we call this the 'go to moon, get rock' problem!

Raymarine units can export track data via a memory card. They store it in a file called a FHS file, which is really designed to be read by raymarine PC software. I think the link below talks about how to convert it. Many users use an application called (EDITGPSbable, which can convert almost any format into GPX format, which is the universal gps format that can easily be converted to KML.

http://alexwetmore.org/?p=1315

Once in KML the file can be simply opened by google earth. Once in earth, you can fly around to your hearts content, including making a movie of your trip in high speed!

 

[Hello Below]

Many users use an application called bablefish, which can convert almost any format into GPX format, which is the universal gps format that can easily be converted to KML.

Is that bablefish or GPSBable? But I don't believe the latter converts directly from fsh to other formats. Raymarine has always considered the .fsh file format to be proprietary. I think either Raymarine Raytech Navigator ($499) or Raymarine Voyage Planner ($49) is required. However, I just found this on the Raymarine forum site "GPS Utility". http://raymarine.ning.com/forum/topics/format-specification-for-archive-fsh-files

I have been looking for something like this for a long time.

 

[Jackdaw]

Is that bablefish or GPSBable?

Good catch thanks, GPSbable. Autocorrect!